ROBERT EARL DAVIS, JR. (July 20, 1971 – November 16, 2000), better
known by his stage name DJ SCREW, was an American hip hop DJ based in
Houston, TexasHouston, Texas , and best known as the creator of the now-famous
chopped and screwed DJ technique. He was known as a central and
influential figure in the Houston hip hop community and was the leader
of Houston's
Screwed Up Click .

Davis released over 200 mixtapes and was recognized as an innovator
mostly on a regional level until his death of codeine overdose in
2000. His legacy was discovered by a wider audience around 2005, and
has gone on to influence a wide variety of artists.

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EARLY LIFE

DJ ScrewDJ Screw was born in
Smithville, Texas . His father, Robert Earl
Davis Sr., was a long-haul truck driver based in Houston. His mother
Ida May Deary (who had a young daughter from a previous marriage),
came to the area to be with her mother when her son was born in 1971.
She returned to Houston, but the marriage was floundering; soon it
would be over, and she and her kids moved to
Los AngelesLos Angeles for a couple
of years, then back to Houston, and returned to Smithville in 1980
when Davis was age nine.

When young,
DJ ScrewDJ Screw had aspirations of being a truck driver like his
father, but seeing the 1984 hit break dancing movie Breakin\' and
discovering his mother's turntable attracted him to music. His
admiration of classical music drove him to resume piano lessons. After
seven years of practice, he was able to play works like Chopin's Etude
in C major by ear. His musical interest shifted as he took his
mother's
B.B. KingB.B. King and
Johnnie Taylor records and scratched them on
the turntable the way DJs did, slowing the spinning disc and then
allowing it to speed back up, playing with sound.

Davis began buying records of his own and would spin with his friend
Trey Adkins, who would rhyme. "Screw had a jam box and he hooked up
two turntables to it and made a fader out of the radio tuner so he
could deejay." Adkins said if Robert Earl didn't like a record, he
would deface it with a screw. One day Adkins asked him, "Who do you
think you are, DJ Screw?" Robert Earl liked the sound of that and, in
turn, gave his long-time friend a new name: Shorty Mac.

CAREER

"The results of D.J. Screw's labors often sound like rap records
played underwater on an old cassette deck that's running out of
batteries and needs its tape heads cleaned. It is not music to dance
to but music to lose yourself in, as if it is the last sound echoing
in your head as you drift off to sleep." —
The New York TimesThe New York Times

Davis began DJing at age 12 in 1983, and started his trademark
slowed-down mixes in 1990, the style became his main focus in late
1991 – early 1992. The mixes began as special compilations requested
by friends and those in the know. He soon made them available for sale
when his close friend Toe offered to buy a mix from him for ten
dollars. At that point, customers had increasingly begun requesting
his more well-known mixes instead of personalized lists. During the
early 1990s, he invited some of the Houston MCs from the city's south
side to rhyme on those mixes. This coalition of emcees eventually
became the fathers of the
Screwed Up Click . Many members of the
Screwed Up Click , or S.U.C., are considered key figures in the canon
of Houston hip hop. The original lineup included
Big Hawk ,
Big MoeBig Moe ,
E.S.G. , and Fat Pat , among others. The crew later gained then
upcoming artists such as,
Z-RoZ-Ro ,
Trae tha Truth as well as Lil Flip.

Davis later moved to a house in the 7600 block of Greenstone Street
near
Gulfgate MallGulfgate Mall . Fans, some driving from far away areas such as
DallasDallas and
WacoWaco , lined up at his door to obtain his recordings. He
started his own business and opened a shop up on 7717 Cullen Blvd in
Houston, TX, called Screwed Up Records and Tapes. It has been shown in
numerous music videos and documentaries as well as independent films.
In the early 2010s, this location closed. It has since been relocated
to 3538 West Fuqua, Houston, TX. Fans may also purchase merchandise,
including mixtapes, on the S.U.C. website. There are now several
Screwed Up Records and Tapes spread out through Texas, including one
in Beaumont and in Austin.

DEATH

On November 16, 2000, Davis was found dead inside of his Houston
recording studio in the 8100 block of Commerce Park Drive. Fans
speculated about the true cause of his death. When the coroner
reports were released, they confirmed that he died of a codeine
overdose in addition to mixed drug intoxication. The codeine came from
a prescription-strength cough syrup that he would mix with soda to
concoct a beverage called purple drank . In addition to codeine,
Valium and PCP were found in his blood. His funeral took place at
Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church in his hometown of
Smithville, Texas .

LEGACY

DJ ScrewDJ Screw has been a considerable influence in the Houston scene and
beyond, "helping to cement his legacy as an underappreciated
avant-gardist , creator of a sui generis sound that’s still growing
and mutating." Texas governor
Rick PerryRick Perry honored him by making him an
official Texas Music Pioneer. The
Houston PressHouston Press named the 1995 album
3 \'n the Mornin\' (Part Two) as no. 13 on its list of the 25 best
Houston rap albums of all time, crediting the release for the way it
helped shape Houston's hip-hop culture. When the Houston hip-hop scene
became nationally prominent in 2004, many of the biggest acts could be
traced to DJ Screw's crew, the Screwed Up Click. This led to the city
being referred to as "Screwston". Many artists outside of Houston rap
have been influenced by Screw's work, including experimental
electronic artists such as
Daniel Lopatin (of Oneohtrix Point Never),
Balam Acab , and
Tom Krell (of How to Dress Well).

The genre sown by
DJ ScrewDJ Screw has since evolved into a Houston-based
subculture that is associated with the recreational consumption of
codeine , opulent jewelry and elaborate vintage vehicles. Screw has
also left behind a cult following of listeners who self-identify as
"screwheads". A music festival and car show in honor of
DJ ScrewDJ Screw was
set up in 2006. The inaugural DJ Screwfest featured 200 vehicles and a
set list featuring notable Houston hip-hop acts like
Trae and Chingo
Bling. The first festival took place at the Pasadena County
Fairgrounds. The 2007 documentary film Screwed In Houston, produced by
VBS/
Vice Magazine , details the history of the Houston hip hop scene
and the influence of the chopped and screwed sub-culture on Houston
hip hop. The 5-part series devotes one full episode to
DJ ScrewDJ Screw and
includes video footage of him days before his death.

DISCOGRAPHY

ALBUMS

YEAR
TITLE
LABEL

1994
Volume I: Still Afloat
Bigtyme Recordz

1994
3 \'n the Mornin\', Pt. 1
Bigtyme Recordz

1995
Bigtyme Recordz, Vol. II: All Screwed Up
Bigtyme Recordz

1996
3 \'n the Mornin\', Pt. 2
Bigtyme Recordz

1999
All Work No Play
Reliant Entertainment

OFFICIAL SCREWTAPE MIXTAPE SERIES

The "Screwtapes" were mixtapes that
DJ ScrewDJ Screw made himself and mainly
sold from his house or when traveling to do shows. Many of his friends
freestyled and spoke over the instrumentals and songs.

The mixtapes were re-released after his death in 2000 and given
"Diary of the Originator: Chapter" titles. Despite this, they were not
re-released chronologically. The works date between 1993 and 2000. New
chapters continued to be released.